Cash and parcel carrier



(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 W. P. BIGELOW.

CASH AND PARCEL BARRIER.

Patented Sept. 2, R384.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. P. BIGELOW.

CASH AND PARCEL OARRIER.

No. 304,491. Patex tedfiept. 2, 1884.

WILLIAM r. BIeELow, or NATIOK, MASSACHUSETTS.

- CASH AND PARCEL CARRIER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 304,491, datedSeptember 2, 1884.

Application liled June23, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. BIG-BLOW, a citizen of the United States,residing at Natick, in the county of Middlesex and State ofMassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cashand Parcel Carriers; and I do hereby declare that the same are fullydescribed in the following specification and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings.

This invention is in the nature of an improvement upon that embraced inmy Letters Patent No. 299,332, dated May 27, 1884, for

- cash and parcel carriers.

the brake-springs and catch-lever.

In my former invention the cash basket or parcel was carried forward andback on an endless traveling belt supported 011 rotating wheels, anddriven at rapid speed by a handrope and multiplying-wheels. In myimproved apparatus I do not use an endless belt, though I still employmany of the features shown in my former patent. Ihave supplemented themby the improvements hereinafter described and claimed.

My invention consists in an improved nonendless reciprocating driving ortraveling belt.

Another important feature of my present im provement is thecombinationof a single supporting-way with a non-endless reciprocating driving ortraveling belt. The single supporting-way is arranged in the line ofmovement of the driving-belt to support the basket and keep the beltfrom undue sagging without excessive tension upon it.

The other features of novelty consist in an improved carrier, catch, andbrake-spring to govern the carrier, in certain supporting and connectingdevices, and in means of changing the direction of movement. I find itof material advantage to run the carrying-belt obliquely up to thecashiers station, so that the return is effected in part by gravity, and110 device for lowering the basket from the wire is required, since itruns down within easy reach of the salesmen along an extended counter.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the bracket andsuitable supports for the belt and wire. Fig. 2 is a plan showing Fig. 3is a vertical. longitudinal section of the same.

tion of the same. Fig. 8 shows the drivingwheel and drum. Fig. 9represents an arrangement of the driving apparatus below the counter.Fig. 10 shows the adjustable handle for the hand-rope.

A is a non-endless reciprocating driving or traveling belt, preferablyof fine flexible braided wire, mounted on grooved pulleys B.

O is the driving-wheel, having the multiplying-drum D and a non-endlessreciprocating handrope, E, or equivalent devices for driving the belt ataccelerated speed. This hand-rope passes around the small grooved wheels(I. l

' F is a brakespring, so arranged as to be compressed or put to tensionwhen the basket G is forwarded to the central station, and by itsreaction to aid in returning the basket to the starting-point. Thisreturn movement is facilitated by having the belt run obliquely downwardfrom the cashiers station, the deflection being, for the best results,from ten to twenty degrees from the horizon.

H is the supporting wire or way for the belt and basket on the journeyfrom the salesmans station to the eashiers desk and return. I preferablymake this way of a single bright wire of suitable size, about No.16,stretched taut in theline ofmovement ofthe belt A, and substantiallysupported at each end on brackets I or otherwise. I could, however, makeit of any suitable material.

K K represent hooks, links, or other swiveled connections, extending bypreference from each end of the basket G upwardly over thesupporting-way H, to slide thereon and down on the other side to engagewith thebelt A, so as to receive motion from it. I prefer not to includethe carrier in the non-endless belt. The swivel and doubleconnectioncause a very steady movement without chatter or excessive swaying of thebasket. Where the course is of moderate length and unobstructed in a astraight line, no intermediate supports are required WVhere a change ofdirection becomes necessary or desirable, I arrange the parts as shownin Figs. 6 and 7. The traveling belt A passes around a deeplygroovedpulley, L, mounted on a suitable bearing, 1, so that the belt maycontinue moving, but at any desired angle to its former direction. Thesupporting way H is correspondingly deflected, and issoldered to theupper side of a curved guide, M, shaped to adjust itself to an arc ofthe wheel L, and the hooks K K extend over and slide upon the upper sideof this curved piece, so that at the turn and elsewhere the belt and itssupporting-way may run parallel and the way be drawn taut at each sideof its intermediate support.

The grooved wheel L and guide M may be held in position by braces N, ofgas-pipe, extending from the wall or ceiling, or by brackcts secured toa post or column. Stay-wires 11. may be furnished, if desired. The lowerflange of the wheel L is extended radially far enough to keep the belt Afrom displacement when slack. The hooks K may, at their upper ends, turnoutwardly to engage with the belt A, or may be soldered thereto when,the belt is of braided or other wire; the connection must be such aswill easily pass the groovewheel L. The curved guide M is pointed at itsends to more readily enter between the parts of the hooks K. I prefertomake this guide of a strip of steel erected at the edge of a metallicsegment, m, formed in one with or secured to the bearing on which thewheel L turns.

The basket G is by preference of woven wire or other light open-workmaterial, so as to pass through the air rapidly without resistance. Thesides are made low and the swivel-hooks placed at opposite corners, forconvenience in removing the book and case 5 5, in which the salesmanscheck and the cash are placed for transmission. The suspended basketbrings the book and contents within reach of the cashier, and returnsthe book to the salesman, bringing it low enough to be removed withoutdrawing the basket down from the belt. This saves two movements of thesalesman every time he sends and receives money, and thus economizestime and labor.

The several lines to the different counters will radiate from thecashiers station, and may have a common support from a rigid standard orarm, 0, with a swinging bracket, P, for each line, as shown in Fig. 1.This bracket furnishes a bearing, 1), for the pulley B, which carriesthe belt A, and also provides a point of attachment and substantialtightening means for the supporting-wire H in exact line with the belt.

The preferred tightening device is, as shown, a bolt, Q, screwed intothe end of the bracket P, and having an axial perforation to receive thewire H, the end of which is bent aside; or

a collar or washer is provided for the point of the bolt to pressagainst without twisting the wire. Equivalent means may be provided atthe head end of the bolt with out the wire passin g through it. Thebelt-carrying pulley B at the outer end of the line is similarlymounted, and the supporting-wire similarly tightened. The bracket P hasalso an arm, P, which carries a brake-spring, S, to stop the basketwithout shock, and a spring-catch, R, to hold it until the cashier hasexamined the book and made the change. The bracket and the arm are bypreference duplicated-that is, made double-to receive between their twoparts the wheel B, and the belt A, spring S, and catch B. Two springsgive the best results, each having a wire, W, through it axially to holdit in working position. The belt A runs between the two springs S, andhas fixed upon it a small button or enlargement, a, which strikesagainst the face'of a yielding plate,'T, at the outer end of thebrake-springs. This plate is slotted or perforated to admit the belt,and slides on the wires W as far as the springs S yield, permitting thebuttona to be engaged and detained by the spring-catch E. This catch ispreferably a lever pivoted about centrally, and provided with a spring,1, about as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Its free end is fornished with acord, U, passing through eyes and terminating in a ball, a, which thecash ier pulls on to release the catch. The reaction of the brake-springthen starts the basket on its return trip, the inclination of the linetends to keep it moving by gravity, and the salesman can readily andquickly move it to his station.

I design to use the brake-springs S as stops for the return movement,also, by applying another plate, T, to the other end of the springs S,and providing another button, a, on the belt, at a point where it willstrike the duplicate plate and check the movement at the proper time, orwhen the basket has reached the outer terminus. Ihave also applied thestop to the hand-rope E, as indicated in Figs. 9 and 10. This ropepasses through screw-eyes V, with which the handles 6 come in contact,to check the movement at the proper time. The handles are in halves,compressed upon the rope by the screws which unite them, and are readilyadusted to the desired positions.

In the drawings of my former patent I represented the carrying-belt withits supporting bearing for the hand-rope pulley as mounted upon thecounter. By my present improvements, where the location permits, Iprefer to place the driving-wheel C out of sight, under the counter orin the basement, and run the beltA thence around the small groovedwheels B, and up vertically through hollow standards X, if preferred, ateach end to other wheels B, at the height desired for the movements ofthe basket, and just beneath the supporting-wire H, as indicated in Fig.9. This figure also shows the hand -rope E, placed horizontally j ustbelow the level of the counter, supported on grooved wheels 01, andwound, at its ends, in opposite directions around the axle D of thedriving-wheel, to multiply the speed. This leaves the entire top of thecounter free for the display of the goods, conceals the drivingmechanism, and'constitutes the most unobtrusive of cash-carriers,enabling the salesman, by a horizontal pull behind the counter, to sendthe cash to the desk and return the change quickly and noiselessly,while facing and serving another customer. The capacity of the wholeapparatus may be doubled by employing another belt and duplicatesupports, the driving-belts passing in opposite directions around thedriving-wheel, so that while one basket moves toward the desk, the otherone, on the parallel belt, is returning. One handrope actuates bothbelts.

In my improved apparatus I do not use an endless driving-belt. Myimproved driving or traveling belt is so arranged that beyond theportion that runs from the desk to the sales- I mans station I prolongeach end sufficiently to provide for a reciprocating movement, and topass several times around the wheel in opposite directions. The slack ofthe belt can thus be taken up from either end without read- I justmentof the bearings or the employment of any additional devices. This is amost important feature of my improved system.

It is necessary that the handles or stoppers on the hand-rope be soplaced with reference to the stops or screw-eyes that when the handlecomes in contact with the stop and the movement is checked, the carrierwill have traveled the desired distances, and the stop on thedriving-belt have come in contact with the catch and brake-spring. It isthus seen that the position of all the parts are'relat-ive to eachother, and that this relative position must be accurately kept. Theiraction must be conjoint, as should the driving-belt slip an inch thebutton or ball on it would not connect with the catch. By using theimproved reciprocating driving and hand belts, as described, I amenabled to stop the carrier posi-' tively in any position with no dangerthat either belt will slip or lose its position.

To prevent the parts of the belt rubbing upon each other, I coil eachend in a sepa rate groove in the periphery of the Wheel 0, as indicatedin Fig. 8. The same figure shows the double bearings c e for the drivingwheel 0 and for the multiplying wheel or drum D, giving them supportfrom each side and relieving the strain. It also illustrates the plan Iadopt of winding the ends of the handrope E in opposite directionsaround the elongated drum D, instead of making it endless and running ina grooved pulley, as illustrated in my former patent.

I claim as my invention 1. The reciprocating driving-belt and driving-wheel, as described, in combination with a single way stretchedin the line of the driving-belt, and the carrier supported on said wayand driven by said belt, all arranged and operated substantially as setforth.

2. The reciprocating driving-belt, drivingwheel, and multiplying wheel,with its handrope, in combination with a single inclined way, and thecarrier sliding thereon and actuated by said belt, all arranged andoperated substantially as set forth.

3. A reciprocating driving-belt and carrier arranged to slide upon asingle supportingway, in combination with supporting and driving wheelsand with the intermediate curved support, M, for the'single way, andflanged wheel L for the drivingbelt, substantially as the hand-rope E,in combinationwith the driving'wheel 0, having two peripheral grooves,each to receive one end of the driving-belt coiled therein, and alsohaving the drum D, around which both ends of the hand-rope arc coiled inopposite directions, all arranged and operated substantially as setforth.

6. In a store-service system, a driving-belt provided with a button orball, in combination with brake-springs adapted to automatically stopthe belt and a catch to detain it, said spring serving, when the catchis released, to start the basket toward the salesmans station,substantially as set forth.

7. In a store-service system, the intermediate support, M, for the wireH, in combination with the flanged wheel L, supporting the belt A,substantially as set forth.

8. In a store-service system, the basket G, suspended from its supportby swivelhooks K K, for the purpose set forth.

9. In a store-service system, a driving-wheel having two peripheralgrooves, each arranged to receive one end of the driving-belt coiledtherein, in combination with accelerating means, substantially asdescribed.

10. In a store-service system, the catch R, provided with a spring, wandcord U, in combination with an enlargement on the drivingbelt,substantially as described.

11. In a store-service system, the spring S, provided with a yieldingplate, in combination with an enlargement on the driving-belt to stopthe belt and start it again in the oppo site direction, substantially asdescribed.

I 12. In a store-service system, a hand-rope provided with handles orstops, in combination with a positively-fixed check, whereby themovement of the hand-rope is governed, substantially as described.

13. In a store-service system, a hand-rope provided with stops andpositively fixed checks,in combination with a driving-belt having anenlargement thereon to operate with a catch, all arranged relatively toeach other to act conjointly, substantially as described.

14. In a store-service apparatus, a non-endless reciprocatingdriving-belt, in combination with a driving-wheel adapted to receiveboth ends of said belt coiled thereon, substantially as described.

15. In a store-service system, a reciprocat- 5 ing driving-belt, incombination with a driving -wheel provided with an acceleratingspring',and means of actuating said wheel, substantially as set forth.

16. I11 a store-service system, a reciprocat- IO ing driving-belt anddriving-wheel, in combination with means of actuating said belt, wherebythe driving-belt can be arrested in its motion at any desired point,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereto affix my sig- I 5 nature in presence of.two witnesses.

XVILLIAM P. BIGELOXV. 'Witnesses:

A. H. SPENCER, E. A. PHELPS.

